Welding machine



L. BRAUN WELDING MACHINE Oct. 13, 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 29,1950 um. Nm, 9.l i ,n

Z y Maha/ Oct. 13, 1953 L. BRAUN WELDING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Slmeenl 2Filed June 29, 1950 Oct. 13, 1953 BRAUN 2,655,585

WELDING MACHINE Filed June 29, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 laye/wlw Oct. 13,1953 L. BRAUN 2,655,585

WELDING MACHINE Filed June 29, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 if l L. BRAUNWELDING MACHINE Oct. 13, 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 29, 1950 I fmPatented Oct. 13, 1953 WELDING MACHINE Leo. Braun,"Y Montreal, Quebec,-Canada,-y assigner 'toDominion Bridge Company Limited, Mont- "real,QuebecLCanda ...',Application 'June 29, 1950; Serial No3 '171,001

This invention relates to ari-improved welding machine especially'`adapted for fthe vinside welding oflongitudinalfand-circumferentiabseams of elongated, tubular bodies.

One object of the' invention-islthe provisionl of a generallyimprovedweld-ing machine` whereby the longitudinaland/orcircumferential* seam Welding of articles of widelyvaryingthickness may be efliciently accomplished at widely 'varying Weldingspeeds bythe ux submerged are Welding process.

Another object-of the inventionI is to provide a Welding machine inwhich the imaj or components are electrically actuated so that thelmachine lends itself to the-use of electricalcontrolsiffor eiectingautomatic operation of thevarious elec'- trically actuated components inproper sequence and also lends itself to remote'manual controlof certainof said components by theoperatorzas he follows the progress: of' the'weldingfoperations.

Another objectof the invention is to provide a Welding machine'of thetypefspeciedin .which the Welding current is supplied'y to the "weldingelectrode close tothe welding'polnt through. `the agency of contactshoes carried by a-busr-barwto which the Welding current-cables'areconnected, said bus bar forming part'of a welding-head-.assemblyincluding an velectrode-'abending -head through which the electrode isf-edb'etweenthe contact shoes to the work; the bending headincludingelectrode'- bending and lstraightening rollers which are insulatedfrom'the bus bar` and the contact shoes.

Another object is to provide a weldingmachine in Which the assemblyincluding the bus barfthe contact shoes and the bendingheadalsoiincludes a flux distributing spout through which' the electrodeis fed fromthe contact shoes to thevwork and in which the flux issupplied to Asaid -spout through a fluxnozzle.- positionedl immediatelyabove the spout. Y

Another yobject is toprovideacompletely pneumatic flux feed system forsupplying flux from a ux storage tank to said iiuxnozzle. 4

A further object is' to provide a welding machine in which the' weldinghead *assembly is carried by a vertically and 'longitudinally movablebeamnand in which' motel-"'a'c'tated' means Iare provided for"impe;r'tlng`` longitudinal travelling movement to th'e"b`eani` at acritiolledrate of speed and for adjusting' the beam" vertically in re"-lation to the Work for vensuringsufficient` submergence of the arcby'theux.

Another importantv feature ofthe'inverition consists in the' provision'ofl afportablecontrol panel which may bepropeuea to -sny'cesired pcsi-tion by the operator as he follows fthe progress ofthe Weldingoperation and which contains the electrical control for the variouscomponents 4of the machine, together with manually operable devices forpredeter-mining or changing the setting of said controls.

Other objects, characteristic-features and advantages ofthe inventionwill be setforth ormade apparent by the following tdetaileddescriptionof the accompanying drawings, in Which- Fig. l is a sideelevational view of; my improved Welding machine. y n

Fig. 2 is a. plan view-of said machine.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View. K

Fig. 4 is an'enlarged plan-view ofthe welding head end of said machine.

Fig.5isa=detail View. ,i ,A 4

Fig. 6 is aplan viewoftthevend portion of the machine remote from/.theWelding head assembly.

Fig. rLis a vertical Asectional view ofthe assembly shoyvnnFig1 6.

Fig. 8 is an elevational View of a flux feeding assembly forming` partofsaid machine.

. Fig. 9 is an enlarged sidey elevation of--the Weldingn'headyassembly.A

Fig. 10 is a sectional View taken substantially along the section linelll-IU of Fig. 9.

Fig. 1l is a sectional View J(faken substantially along the sectionline.y I lV-l lof Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 isanenlargedsectional View of a flux feeding nozzle forming.parto the ux feeding system showninFig. 8. I

' Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the portable control panel.

Fig. 1,4 is a detail vview of an elevation indicatingdevice associatedvvvith the mechanism for elevating the rearend of thebeamcarrying theWelding'headassembly.1 i

Fig'. 15l is a sectionaldetail Viewr showing part of a4 guide conduit'through lwhich the Welding electrode is Vfed to the welding headassembly.

. As shown in these. drawings, my improved Welding mach-ine includes awelding head assembly 5 supported by the" front end of `a travellingbeam6 which is verticallya'djustable to position thewel'd; ing' electrode',-hereiiiafter referred to, at the optimum'distancevfrom'the Work` andWhich, during longitudinal seam weld'ingoperations, is`cp`erated t@ motethey/elaing headaSSemMy-and the elec; tro'de 'alongthe length of Jthe'seam;

Thebearn liv isfo'f-fhollow construction-and travels througlithefcentralopen-ing 8av (Fig.l 3) of a .verticallyadjustable beam-supportingframe 8which isi. guided in'itsfvertical movement by guide membersilfl'wfrmi-ngthe` upper part'of a-.station`ar'y 'frame-'- l0. `1l3rame" 8Y isequipped gemss A 3 with flanged guiding and supporting rollers I2 onwhich beam 6 travels, said rollers being mounted on a shaft I3 carriedby frame 8. Fra-me 8 is raised and lowered by vertical movement of avertically disposed screw I4 having its .lower end suitably clamped tosaid frame as indicated at I5. A spiral gear I8 journalled in thrustbearing IBa (Fig. 5) is threaded onto the upper portion of screw I4 andis driven by a spiral gear Il fixed to the output shaft I8 of a speedreduction unit I8 which is driven by an electric motor 28. When motor isoperated to drive gears I'I and I6, the screw I4 and beam-supportingframe 8 will be raised or lowered with reference to the supporting frameI0 and the work depending upon the direction in which the gear I6 isrotated. The gears I6 and I'I, speed reducing unit I9 and motor 20 aresupported by the guide members l8r; of

frame I8 and are enclosed by a suitable cover 2 I. -f

Horizontal travelling movement is imparted to beam 6 by propellingmechanism including a rack 23 (Fig. 3) which is secured to the uppersurface of the beam and is driven by a pinion 24 Xed to a shaft 25jcurnalled in frame 8 by r suitable bearings 26. Shaft 25 is alsoequipped with idler rolls 28 flanking the pinion 24 and bearing on theupper surface of the beam to assist in guiding the latter in itshorizontal movement. One end of shaft 25 is provided with a gear 28driven by a pinion 29 on the output shaft of a variable speedtransmission unit 38 which, in turn, is driven by an electric motor 3l.The transmission unit 38 and motor 3l are mounted on a suitablesupporting bracket 32 attached to frame 8. The end of shaft 25 remotefrom gear 28 is equipped with a brake drum 38 forming part of aconventional solenoid brake assembly generally indicated at 40. As shownin Fig. l, this brake assembly includes brake shoes 4I pivotally securedat their lower ends to base structure 42 which also carries an operatingsolenoid 43 which is connected to the upper ends of the brake shoes bythe linkage 44 and the spring device 45. The brake assembly is mountedon a shelf bracket 48 carried by the frame structure 8.

A suitable level indicator is provided for indicating the level to whichthe front end of beam 6 is raised or lowered by vertical movement of theadjustable supporting frame 8. shown, this indicator comprises a pointer41a (Fig. l) carried by frame 8 and movable along a scale 41h carried byone of the guide members Illa along which the frame 8 is slidable.

The rear end of beam 6 is rigidly secured to a supporting platform 49carried by a vertically adjustable frame 58 provided with tubular guides5I. The guides 5i are located adjacent opposite sides of frame 58 andare slidably fitted cn vertically extending supporting legs 52 havingtheir lower ends fastened to an axle 53 equipped with ground wheels 53a.The platform 49 and its supporting frame are raised and lowered withreference to the legs 52 by mechanism including a pair of verticallyextending screws 54 extending downwardly in threaded engagement withnuts 55 rigidly secured to the upper ends of the legs 52. The upper endsof screws 54 are unthreaded and are rotatably mounted in combined thrustand radial bearings 56 carried by platform 49. The screws 54 are gearedtogether for simultaneous rotation by means of an endless chain 51trained around sprockets 58 rigidly secured to said screws. One ofthescrews 54 As here is provided, at its upper end, with a bevel gear54a driven by a bevel pinion 54h fastened to one end of a shaft 59journalled in a bearing bracket 60 mounted on platform 48. The other endof shaft 59 is equipped with a crank handle 6I. When it is desired toraise or lower the rear end of beam 6 to compensate for verticaladjustment of the front end of said beam this is accomplished byoperating shaft 59 through the agency of crank handle 6I to cause thescrews 54 to rotate in the nuts 55 and to travel vertically withreference to the supporting legs 52, thus raising or lowering theplatform 49.

The screw 54 which is driven by the bevel gear 54a and pinion 54h isprovided with an extension screw 62 (Figs. 6, '7 and 14) carrying ascrew-threaded indicator pointer 53 which is enclosed by a casing 64 andtravels along a slot 65 provided in said casing. rEhe casing 64 isprovided, at one side of slot 65, with a graduated scale 65a whichcooperates with the pointer 63 to indicate the dilferent elevations towhich the platform 49 and the beam 8 are adjusted by means of the screws54.

The welding head assembly 5 includes a supporting yoke 6'I which isfastened by a vertical pivot 68 to a bracket 89 carried by the front endof beam 6. The welding head assembly is thus pivotally supported toprovide for necessary lateral adjustment of the discharge end of theelectrode. The welding head assembly 5 also comprises a conductingbracket I8 including a bus bar 'I Ia to which the terminals I2 ofwelding conductors '12a (Fig. 1l) are directly secured. Bracket 'I0 issupported by an electrode bending head 'II (Figs. l, 9, 10 and l1) whichis fastened by angle plates 'I3 and bolts 13a to a bracket I4 carried bya plate 'I5 which is bolted to yoke 61 by bolts I8 (Figs. 9 and 10). Theplate 'I5 is insulated from the yoke 8l by interposed insulation 'I'Iand the bolt connections I5 are also insulated by suitable insulatingbushing indicated at 18. The lower portion of the electrode bending head'II is fastened by studs 80 to one side of a plate portion BI of bracket10. The bending head 'II is insulated from the plate portion 8l ofbracket 'I0 by interposed insulation 82 and the studs 80 are alsoinsulated from plate portion 8l of bracket 'I0 by the insulated bushings83 and insulating strip 84. The electrode bending head 'II is dividedinto two half sections 85 which are bolted together in face to facerelation by bolt connections 86. The opposing surfaces of the two halves85 of the bending head II are recessed to accommodate the electrodebending rollers indicated at 8l and 88 and to provide an electrode guidepassage 89 through which the electrode 30 is passed to and betweencontact jaws ad 92 which are positioned below the delivery end ofelectrode guide passage 89. The jaws 8l and 92 are carried by asupporting member 93 of bracket 10.

The electrode bending rollers 88 are arranged in the bending head I atone side of guide passage 89 and are mounted to revolve about fixed axes94. The rollers 8l are mounted on the opposite side of electrode guidepassage 89 and certain of these last mentioned rollers are journalled inbearing blocks 95 which are slidable inwardly and outwardly withreference to the rollers 83 by means of adjusting screws 88 threadedthrough suitable brackets 9'. fastened to bending head 'II.

The two halves 85 of bending head 'II are reoessed, as indicated at 85ain Fig. l1, to accommodate the rollers 8l and 88 and the bearing blocks9E in which certain of the rollers 01 are journalled. The two halves ofbending head 1| are also provided with registering slots 85h whichintersect the electrode passage 89 and expose the inner peripheralportions of certain of the rollers 81 and 88 between which the electrodeis passed. The slots 85a give access to the electrode 90 to facilitatethe initial threading of the electrode between the rollers 81 and 88 ofthe bending head. As shown more particularly in Fig. ll, the rollers 81are mounted by means of anti-friction bearings 81a on shafts 81h carriedby the blocks 95. The rollers 88 are mounted by means of ball bearings88a on shafts 88h mounted in suitable bearings carried by the two halvesof bending head 1 At this point it may be noted that the insulation ofthe bending rollers 81 and 88 and the bending head 1| from the bus barlla and the contact jaws 9| and 92 is an important feature of theinvention which avoids the heating of the rollers and the resultinglubrication and other difficulties which arise when the welding currentis transmitted to the electrode through the rollers in accordance withprevious practice.

The contact jaw 9| is rigidly secured to the jaw-supporting member 93while the contact jaw 92 is mounted on the supporting member 93 so thatit is capable of lateral movement with respect to jaw 9|. In thisconnection it will be noted that jaw 52 is provided with slots 99 inwhich supporting studs are tted so that jaw 92 is thus mounted forlateral movement toward and away from jaw 9|. Jaw 92 is normally urgedinto contact with jaw 9| by a biasing spring |0| having one end fittedagainst said jaw and the other end fastened to the bracket 10 by a boltconnection |02. Jaw 92 is also electrically con nected to bracket 10 bya strap or braid connection indicated at |03 in Fig. 9.

After the electrode 90 has been threaded through guide passage 89 ofbending head 1| and properly deected by the bending action of therollers 81 and 88 it is directed downwardly between the contact jaws 9|and 92 and through the bottom opening |05 of a flux spout |06surrounding said jaws.

In carrying out certain longitudinal seam welding operations it isdesirable to provide the welding head assembly with an electrode guidecarriage |01 which tracks in the seam being welded and serves toautomatically swing the welding head assembly about its pivot 68 tomaintain the discharge end of electrode 90 properly centered withrespect to the seam. As here shown carriage |01 is connected by an arm|08 to a spoutencircling collar |09 which, as shown in Fig. 10, isrotatably mounted on the spout by suitable ball bearings indicated at II0. The welding head as., sembly 5 is equipped with a conventionalCrouse- Hinds vapor type lighting condulet indicated at |01a in Figs. land 2. In those cases in which the electrode guide carriage is replaced,as hereinafter described, by motor operated means for swinging thewelding head assembly about its pivot 68, the electrode guide carriage|01 is removed by detaching the arm 08 from the spoutencircling collar|09. The latter is then turned through an angle of 180 from the positionshown in Figs. l and 9 to position a collar carried lug |09a at thefront of the collar so that a pointer (not shown) may be suitablyclamped to this lug to provide a convenient means for indicating whetheror not the discharge end of the electrode is properly centered withrespect to the longitudinal seam being welded.- After the collar |09 hasbeen turned through an angle 180 as described, it is locked againstrotation relative to spout |08 by means of locking screws |09b (Fig. 10)which are carried by thev collar and are screwed inwardly into jammingengagement with the collar encircling portion of spout |06.

The ilux in which the arc is submerged during welding is supplied tospout |08 through the outlet of a nux nozzle 2 which is carried by thebending head 1 The electrode is fed to the bending head 1| from a supplyreel ||4 supported by a bracket ||5 carried by the supporting frame 50of platform 49. The electrode is drawn from the reel by a pair of feedrollers ||3 which feed the electrode through a guide conduit I6 havingits discharge end connected to the inlet end of the electrode guidepassage 89 of bending head 1| As shown in Fig. 15 the electrode guideconduit comprises a pair of axially aligned metal tubes l|1 and ||8which are flexibly connected together and insulated from the beam 6 bymeans of an enclosing flexible insulating tube ||9 made of rubber orother suitable insulating material. One end of the metal tube ||8 isrigidly secured to the bending head 1|. The other end of tube ||8 isflared and spaced from the adjacent end of tube i1 with the gap betweenthe opposing ends of the tube bridged by a portion of the flexibleinsulating tube H9, This arrangement permits angular lateral movement oftube H6 relative to the tube lil during swinging movement of the weldinghead assembly 5 about its vertical axis 68. The end of tube |1 remotefrom tube ||8 is positioned relatively close to the feed rolls ||3 whichare driven by a motor |20 and a gear reduction unit |2| mounted onplatform 49.

Flux is supplied to the flux inlet |23 of ux nozzle ||2 by the deliveryend of a flexible flux supply tube |24 (Figs. 2 and 8) forming part of apneumatic flux feed system including a flux dispensing tank |25 mountedon platform 49 (Figs. 2 and 8). The outlet |26 of tank |25 is connectedto the outer casing |21 of a syphon or compressed air eductor |28. Thecasing |21 of syphon or eductor |28 houses a compressed air nozzle |29and has its discharge end |30 connected to flux supply tube |24.Compressed air is supplied to nozzle |29 through a compressed air supplyline |32 equipped with a combined air pressure regulator and gauge |33,an air filter |34 and a solenoid control valve |35. The bottom -of theair lter |34 is preferably connected to an automatic trap |36 by pipeconnection |31. Flux is drawn from tank |25 into the syphon or eductor|28 by the compressed air discharged through nozzle |29 and is forcedalong the flexible ilux supply tube |24 sto flux nozzle l |2 which isprovided with a screen topped opening |i2a through which the compressedair is permitted to escape to atmosphere. This method of supplying fluxto the flux nozzle is simple, efficient and reliable and eliminatesoperating and maintenance troubles which are experienced when the fluxis fed from the supply tank to the iiux nozzle by mechanical conveyingmeans such as conveyor screws and the like.

Surplus ilux left on the work is picked up by a recovery nozzle |38(Fig. 1) which travels along behind the welding head and is carried byone end of a suction conduit |39 having its other end connected througha strainer |40 to a flux storage tank |4| which is mounted on platform49 and is provided with a valve controlled bottom discharge. outlet|42.` `Storage tank |4| is 7 suitably connected to the suction side of afan or impeller |43 driven by an electric motor |44 mounted on platform49.

A motor driven mechanism is also provided for swinging the welding headassembly to various positions of lateral adjustment about its verticalaxis SS when the previously mentioned guide carriage |07 is dispensedwith. As here shown said motor driven mechanism includes a bell cranklever |47 (Figs. 2 and 4) carried by the forward portion of beam 6 andhaving one arm |48 connected by a link |49 to a bracket arm |50 formedintegral with the previously mentioned plate l5 of the welding headassembly. The other arm ii of bell crank |41 is connected by connectingred E52 to a rack |53 arranged to slide in a rack guide |541f arrangedon platform 49. Rack |53 is driven by the pinion |54 of a speed reducingunit |55 which, in turn, is driven by an electric motor 15S mounted onplatform 49. When rack 53 is moved in either direction by its drivingpinion |54 it serves, through the agency of the connecting rod |52 andbell crank lever i4? to impart lateral swinging movement to the weldinghead assembly 5 to thereby effect necessary lateral shifting of thedischarge end of the electrode SQ with respect to the work.

An important feature of the invention consists in the provision of theportable control panel |59 shown in Fig. 13. This portable panelcomprises a casing |60 mounted on rollers |S| and provided with handlemembers |52 which enable it to be wheeled to any position by theoperator as he inspects and follows the progress of the Weldingoperation. Inside the panel casing |63 are arranged various electricalcontrols for controlling the operation of the motors through the agencyof which the beam 6 is adjusted vertically in relation to the work; forcontrolling the action of the operating motor of the electrode feedmechanism; for pre-setting the operating speed and controlling theaction of the motor driving the mechanism through which longitudinaltravelling movement is imparted to said beam; for pre-setting thevoltage and amperage characteristics of the welding current and con-Itrolling the operation of the welding transformer; for controlling themotor operated mechanism through which the welding head assembly isadjusted about its vertical pivotal axis to keep the electrode centeredalong the seam with respect to the seam being welded; for controllingthe opening and closing of the solenoid valve embodied in the pneumaticflux feed system and for controlling, in the case of circumferentialseam welding, the speed and operation of the work rotating mechanism.rlhe details of these controls and the electrical circuits in which theyare incorporated to provide for either manual or automatic control ofthe electrically actuated components of the machine are not specificallyshown and described herein since they are not herein claimed as specificfeatures of the present invention.

When the machine described herein is used for circumferential seamwelding the work is supported on a suitable electrically operatedvariable speed work rotating machine which may be controlled manuallyand/or automatically by operation of certain of the control actuatingdevices l carried by the portable control panel 59. In circumferentialseam welding operations the beam 6 is moved longitudinally only to theextent necessary to keep the welding elec- Ilil trode centered on thecircumferential seam being welded.

Having thus described the characteristic features of what I now conceiveto be the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understoodthat various modifications may be resorted to within the scope andspirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a welding machine of the character described, an elongatedhorizontally extending beam, means mounting said beam for longitudinalmovement in a horizontal direction, said means being operable to raiseand lower said beam and including a platform to which one end of thebeam is attached, a welding head assembly pivo-tally connected to theother end of the beam by connections alording a vertical axis aboutwhich the welding head assembly is swingable to diiferent operatingpositions and means for swinging said welding hea-d assembly about itsvertical axis comprising a bell crank lever pivoted to said beam, linkmeans connecting one arm of the bell crank lever to said welding headassembly, a motor mounted on said platform and motion transmitting meansoperatively connected to said motor and to the remaining arm of saidbell crank lever and functioning in response to operation of said motorto impart swinging movement to said bell crank lever and to said weldinghead assembly.

2. A welding machine as set forth in claim l, in which said motiontransmitting means comprises a pinion driven by said motor, a rackslidably supported on said platform in mesh with said pinion and aconnecting rod connected to said rack and to the said other arm of thebell crank lever.

3. In a welding machine of the character described, a longitudinally andvertically movable beam, a welding head assembly carried by the forwardend of the beam, a stationary frame structure, a vertically movablebeam-adjusting frame slidably mounted in said frame structure andprovided with an opening through which the forward portion of the beamextends, means carried by said vertically movable frame structure forguiding and slidably supporting said beam, electrical motor actuatedmeans for raising and lowering said vertically movable frame andadjustable beam raising and lowering means movable with the rear portionof the beam and operable to raise and lower said rear portion of thebeam and indicating means associated with said vertically movable frameand with said last mentioned beam raising and lowering means forindicating the elevation of the front and rear portions of the beam inany vertically adjusted position thereof.

4. A welding machine as set forth in claim 3, in which 4the means i'orraising and lowering the rear portion of the beam comprises a platformto which the rear portion of the beam is rigidly secured, verticallyextending tubular guides rigidly carried by said platform at oppositesides thereof, ground engaging supporting legs slidably fitted in saidguides and provided with ground engaging means at `their lower ends,vertically extending screws extending downwardly within said guides inthreaded engagement with nuts rigidly secured to the upper ends of saidlegs, combined thrust and radial bearings carried by said platform andin which the upper ends of said screws are rotatably mounted so as toprevent axial movement of the screws relative to the platform, kmanuallyoperable 'means for` rotating one of said screws, means connecting saidscrews together for simultaneous rotation in4 response to operation ofthe said' manually operable, screw rotating4 means, a pointer carried byandimovable vertically with one of said screws anda scale plate overwhich said pointer is arranged' to travel'.

5. In a welding machine o fy the character described', an elongated beammember, means mounting saidv beam member for longitudinal travellingmovement in a, horizontall direction lengthwise of the seam beingwelded, said' means comprising a non-travelling vertically adjustablebeam-supporting frame through which the beam travels and verticallyadjustableA mobile beamsupporting means supporting the rear end` of thebeam andl movable therewith, and a weldiing; head assembly comprising abracket member pivotally connected to and supported by the front end ofthe beam member through the agency of connecting means afiording avertical pivotal axis about which the bracket is swingable laterallywith reference to the line of travel of the beam, anv electrode bendinghead` rigidly Secured to said bracket and swingable therewith, aconducting bracket rigidly secured to said bending heady and having ajaw-carrying portion thereof extending downwardly below the bendinghead, a pair of contact jaws between whichk the welding electrode ispassed to the work and through which current is supplied to saidelectrode, said jaws beingr mounted on the jaw-carrying portion of theconducting bracket i-nelectrical connection therewith and saidconducting bracket and jaws being insulated from said bending head, andelectrode bending rollers between4 which the electrode is fed to saidjaws, said rollers being mounted in said bending head.

6. In a welding machine of the character described', an elongated beammember,` means mounting said beam member for longitudinal travellingmovement in a horizontal direction along Ithe length of the seam beingwelded, said means being operable to raise and lower said beam, anelectrode bending head pivotally connected to and supported by the frontend of the beam through the agency of connecting means affording avertical axis about which the bending head is swingable laterally withreference to the line of travel of the beam, a bracket rigidly securedto and depending' below said bending head, a pair of contact jawsbetween which the electrode is passed to the work and through whichcurrent is supplied to said electrode, said jaws being mounted on thelower portion of the bracket beneath the welding head and said jaws andbracket being insulated from the welding head, and electrode bendingrollers between which the electrode is fed to said jaws, said rollersbeing mounted in said bending head.

7. In a welding machine of the character described, an elongatedhorizontally disposed beam, means mounting said beam for longitudinaltravelling movemen-t along the length of the seam being welded, awelding head assembly pivotally connected to and supported by the frontend of the beam through the agency of connecting means affording avertical pivotal axis about which the entire welding head assembly isswingable laterally with reference to the line of travel of said beam,said welding head assembly comprising an electrode bending head and apair of contact jaws supported from and positioned below said bendinghead, an electrode supply reel from which the electrode is fed to andthrough said bending IG, head andi thence between said laws to the work,anda, power actuated electrode feedl mechanism through which theelectrode is fed. from4 the reel to said bending head, said reel andfeed mechanisms beingmounted at therear end` of the beam to traveltherewith.k

8. A welding machine as set forth in claim 7, including a sectionalguide conduit through which the electrode is fed from thefeedirlgvmechanism toY the bending head, said conduit including a rear sectionextending forwardly along the beam from the feeding mechanism, a rigidforward section attached to and extending rearwardly from the bendinghead with its rear end spaced longitudinally from the forward end of therear section anda flexible tube ntted on andv flexibly connecting saidrigidl sections.

9. In a welding machine of the character de.- scribed, an elongatedhorizontally disposed travelling beam movable in the longitudinaldirection thereof and along the length of theseam being welded,non-travelling beam supporting means in which the intermediate portieriof the beam is` slidably supported, a mobile beam support secured to andsupporting the rear end of the beam and movable therewith relativetesaid non-travelling beam supporting means, a weld.- ing head assembly.pivotally connected to and supported by the front end of the beamthrough the agency of connecting means acording a vertical pivotal aXisabout which the entire welding headr assembly is swingable laterallywith reference to the line of travel of said beam, said welding headassembly including an electrode bending head and a pair of contact jawssupported from and positioned below said bending head,l an elec.- trodesupply reel from which the electrode is fed to and through the bendinghead and thence b etween the contact jaws to the work, and a poweractuated electrode feed mechanism through which the electrode is fedfrom the supply reel to said bending head, said reel and feed mechanismsbeing mounted on said mobile beam support.

10. A welding machine as set forth in claim 9, in which thenon-travelling beam supporting means and the mobile beam support arevertically adjustable to raise and lower the beam and the welding headassembly.

11. In a welding machine of the character described, an elongatedhorizontally disposed beam, means mounting said beam for travellingmovement in the longitudinal direction of the beam and lengthwise of theseam being welded, a welding head assembly pivotally connected to andsupported by the front end of the beam through the agency of connectingmeans alfording a vertical pivotal aXis about which the entire weldinghead assembly is swingable laterally with reference to the line oftravel of the beam, said welding head assembly including an electrodebending head through which the electrode is fed toward the work, abracket rigidly secured to and depending below said bending head, a pairof contact jaws between which the electrode is passed from the bendinghead to the work and through which current is supplied to saidelectrode, said jaws being mounted on the lower portion of the bracketbeneath the bending head, a flux spout surrounding said jaws and havinga bottom opening through which the electrode and flux are fed to thework, said spout being rigidly secured to and supported by said bracket,a collar encircling and rotatably supported by said spout, means forreleasably securing said collar against rotation relative to said spout,and an electrode guide secured to said collar and arranged to track inthe seam being welded, said guide serving to automatically swing thewelding head assembly about its vertical pivotal axis to maintain thedischarge end of the electrode properly centered with respect to theseam being welded.

12. A welding machine as set forth in claim 9, including motor-actuatedbeam propelling means mounted on said non-travelling beam supportingmeans in propelling engagement with said beam and operable to impartlongitudinal travelling movement to the beam in either direction.

13. In a welding machine of the character described, an elongated beammember, means mounting said beam member for longitudinal travellingmovement in a horizontal direction, said means being operable to raiseand lower said beam member, a welding head assembly pivotally connectedto one end of said beam member by connecting means affording a verticalaxis about which the welding head assembly is swingable laterally todiierent operating positions, said welding head assembly including aconducting bracket to which the welding current conductors areelectrically connected, a pair of contact jaws between which the weldingelectrode is passed to the work and through which current is supplied tosaid electrode, said jaws being mounted on said conducting bracket inelectrical connection therewith, and electrode bending rollers mountedon and insulated from said bracket and positioned above said jaws andmeans for swinging the welding head assembly about its vertical axiscomprising a motor mounted on a platform to which the end of the beamremote from the welding head assembly is attached, a rack operatingpinion geared to said motor, a rack slidably mounted on said platform inmesh With said pinion and means interlinking said rack and said weldinghead assembly and functioning to swing the welding head assembly aboutits vertical axis l2 in response to movement of said rack by said motorand said pinion.

14. In a welding machine of the character described, an elongated beammember, means mounting said beam member for longitudinal travellingmovement in a horizontal direction lengthwise of the seam being welded,a welding head assembly pivotally connected to andsupported by the frontend of the beam member through the agency of connecting means affordinga vertical pivotal axis about which the welding head assembly isswingable laterally with reference to the line of travel of the beam, aplatform to which the end of the beam remote from the welding headassembly is attached, and means for swinging the welding head assemblyabout its vertical axis, comprising a motor mounted on said platform, arack operating pinion geared to said motor, a rack slidably mounted onsaid platform in mesh with said pinion, and means interlinking said rackand welding head assembly and functioning to swing the welding headassembly about its vertical axis in response to movement of said rack bysaid motor and said pinion.

LEO BRAUN.

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